Page 66 of House of Lilith

“No,” Nikolay snaps at me, “walk Howe to the Game.”

I frown. “I don’t think so,” I say, even though I understand I’m the only option. We can’t have the Fiain Academy alpha be escorted by anyone of lower rank. At least not if we don’t want the Pied Piper to rip us a new one.

Max turns to squint at me, looking as if he’s trying to weigh two equally bad options. Then he leads me a little to the side, making my ears prick up when he leans in to say, “Can I count on you to go straight to the Game and be on your best behavior?”

It gives me pause, the question. Then I shoot him a nasty look. “When am Inoton my best behavior? Besides, I don’t know why it always needs to be me, picking up Nikolay’s messes.”

“It is what it is, Anastasya,” he snaps a little. Then the look on his face grows soft again. “Come on, cupcake, this is just being a good sport. And there are higher stakes at play.”

Wish I knew what they were, I think to myself, but I don’t say anything. I shake my head, pressing my lips tight, but then I nod.

Yes, it’s just being a good sport. And why would it be a problem anyway?

*

It’s with a knot in my throat that I put on my uniform. I come to stand in front of the mirror, delaying the departure for as long as possible. Turns out to be a horrible idea. Bony, I look so bony, I think with a frown.

But it’s not like I candoanything about it.

So I make myself tear my eyes away from my reflection and leave my room, heading straight for the Entrance Hall, where His Hotness will be waiting for me.

I didn’t want to do this, I think as I make my way down the stairs. I was just starting to put it all behind me, the whole incident with Max offending him, Ricky ending up in the dungeons, Howe looking at me as if I’m the embodiment of everything that’s wrong with the world…

I cross the empty Common Room, recalling how rattled I felt for days after.

Since then, I haven’t just been fearing I’d bump into him. I’d been straight out avoiding him, like that time, a couple of days after the incident, when I was leaving the cafeteria and saw him walking straight at me. I panicked, turned on my heel and just kept going the other way.

But then I managed to forget all about it, deciding it was all just a glitch in the system due to all the stress. Except for today, I’ve been focused on classes, training, the wedding preparations, spending more time with Max…

And for a second, it all seemed neatly wrapped up. Then they dothisto me. Forcing me to spend more time with him, however little.

No, best not think about that, I decide as I ride the Elevator, all alone. As soon as it opens, I step out into the crowded Entrance Hall. Just put one foot in front of the other and that’s that.

It doesn’t take long to spot him, waiting by the Brothers Grimm statue, just like last time. Only this time, he’s not on his phone. He’s standing with his hands in his pockets, slowly scanning the crowd.

I take a deep breath and I keep walking.

But when I see his eyes land on me, nervousness takes hold of me, making all my muscles stiffen and one cold “Good day” leave my lips when I come to stand in front of him.

He raises his eyebrows at me. “Good day?” he echoes. Then he tilts his head a little, flashing me a smile. “Come on, there must be an even more formal way to greet me.”

I should’ve resisted more, I think to myself, when they decided it would be me accompanying him. “I’m not here to live up to your expectations,” I say flatly, “I’m here to take you to Graf Field.”

He shakes his head, but he doesn’t stop smiling. “You know, I had a feeling it’d be your cheerful self again.”

“And you still came?”

He just looks at me for a second, seeming fuckingamused. “I did.Despitewhat happened that time I came looking for you in the cafeteria.”

For a second, that makes me frown, but then I realize what he’s talking about. I don’t show it. I motion for him to follow me back to the Elevator, saying, “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh,” he starts as he falls into step beside me, a tinge of mockery in his voice, “it was a beautiful morning, the Academy was buzzing and I’d set out on a quest, to say thanks for what you did for Ricky.” He pauses, making me give him a side-ways glance as we elbow our way through the crowd. “And I did spot this one girl that lookedjustlike you. She saw me coming and went the other way.”

We stop in front of the crowd waiting for the Elevator and I turn to face him, finding him already looking at me. “But I guess you’d never be that rude, right?” he asks, his eyes boring into mine as a smile dances on his lips.

“Me?” I ask, my eyebrows raising in feigned surprise. “Never.”

And I turn to look ahead, frowning as I watch the crowd before us, how it’s not getting any smaller.

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